'People thought we were getting married'

Ever since composers Gourov Dasgupta and Roshin Balu entered Bollywood, they have been giving hits back-to-back.

The duo joined forces in 2008 and over the last few years,  they have defined their distinct musical soundscape.

They have created waves with songs of movies like ‘Force 2’, ‘ Tum Bin 2’ and ‘Kaabil’.  Basking in the success of their latest work in ‘Munna Michael’ and ‘Mubarakan’, the composers chat with Anila Kurian about their tryst with music.

How did you two start working together?
Gourov: It was during the time when I was trying my luck in music and Roshin was working for a corporate company. We stayed together in a PG with a few others. At that time, all we had was our
laptop and guitar. Slowly things started falling into place and here we are now.

Tell us about your musical journey together?
Roshin: I have a background in classical music and Gourov has his roots in rock. When we first started, it was difficult for us to sync our music as we were trying to fit into the industry. It’s been 10 years now and I think our method and strategy has paid off.

Has your music evolved?
Gourov: Bollywood itself has changed a lot over the years. If you hear the song ‘Hawa Hawa’, you would probably be surprised to know that a guy who likes rock music made that. But it’s a learning process and we are picking up  as we go.

You have a busy schedule  this year...
Gourov: Yes! We worked on three songs for ‘Mubarakan’ and one in ‘Munna Michael’. We are also composing music for more movies and working on our originals too.

Are you picky about the movies you work in?
Gourov: We don’t have the luxury to choose our projects. We consider ourselves very lucky that people want to work with us.

Have you worked on any projects you didn’t particularly enjoy?
Gourov: There have been a few in the past but it was not just about the song but also the actors and dancers.Promotions are a big part of how movies are received these days. It is disappointing that even when we give our heart and soul, you don’t get the recognition you deserve.

So how many hours a day do you spend with each other?
Roshin: (Laughs) People thought we were getting married! It’s been 10 years after all.
Gourov: We’re pretty much together all the time. I have an eight-month-old daughter now, she’s growing up in the studio too.

Is there anything you don’t like about each other?
Gourov: I can’t think of anything.
Roshin: He used to have this habit of repeating the same thing over and over again during production. But I’ve gotten used to it now.

You’ve experimented with different genres while composing. Anything else that you want to try?
Gourov: We have tried most of it by now.  Now we just want to create a space where we do what we love.  It will take a while as there are new sounds and types of software coming up all the time. We need to constantly better ourselves.